1. The mushroom (a.k.a. the bowl) haircut. I had the pleasure to grow upwith Dominic. We lived in the same neighborhood, went to the same schools,and played on the same basketball team. Lots of kids in the late eightiesrocked the mushroom haircut--short on the sides and back and allowed to growlong on the top. Dominic¹s blond mushroom seemed to rock back and forth withease and finesse. And only Dom had his bowl cut memorialized forever on theFranklin Elementary School sign.
2. Halloween. For Dom, it¹s Christmas, Easter, New Years, and Thanksgivingall wrapped up in one. From spending hours decorating the Benham¹s garageinto a haunted house, to hosting his own party, Dom blossomed on October 31.Will anyone who knows Dom ever think of Halloween the same?
3. Love of life. He loves the big things, like intense exercise, hanging outwith friends and family, and fighting cancer with ever last breath in hisbody. Equally important, he loves the little things in life, like watchingNFL football on Sunday, Del Taco, 40 ounces of malt liquor, and insulatedPendleton¹s.
4. Brief career as a child movie star. Not many people know that Dom starredin several amateur movies while in elementary school, including the leadrole in the action thriller Barney Banoza and the early claymation flick,Buddha Bandits. Those movies will be watched and enjoyed for a long, longtime.
5. ³Going big.² Dom often uses this term to explain his behavior when hebriefly suspends his disciplined diet and workout routine to partake inmountains of fried food, alcohol, and other debauchery. Moments of going bigare typically very shot-term and usually involve Marshall. We love to go bigwith Dom.
6. The yellow ³dress shirt.² Dom¹s sense of style will long outlive hisyears on earth. For at least 10 years, Dominic owned a pale, yellow shirtthat he wore anytime more than a simple t-shirt was required. We all lovedthat shirt and took great joy whenever Dom would give it yet another whirlout on the town.
7. Shortest collegiate basketball career in history. Without checking theofficial record book, I can confidently say that Dom was the first player tocommit to the Duke collegiate basketball team straight out of the YMCA 10year-old league, but never actually played college ball. Unfortunately forthe Blue Devils, Dom was recruited to draw at Otis College of Design and puthis athletic career on hold, indefinitely.
8. Children¹s books. Dom openly admits that he hasn¹t read an entire novelsince high school English class. Nevertheless, he wrote and illustrated twoamazing children¹s books for his niece.
9. Art. From his sketchbook, to grotesque masks and haunted houses, to hisamazing portfolio of toys at Mattel, I¹ll be the first in line to buy aticket to the Dominic Ambriz art museum.
10. Reminiscing. Dom will live forever whenever any of us sit down withfriends and family over drinks, and simply talk about the good times we¹veshared together. His spirit will survive when we take time to love life. Thebig things, like our friends and family, as well as the little things, likeSunday football and late-night Dell Taco.
Dom, you have enriched my life more than you will ever know. I love you. Larkin.
2. Halloween. For Dom, it¹s Christmas, Easter, New Years, and Thanksgivingall wrapped up in one. From spending hours decorating the Benham¹s garageinto a haunted house, to hosting his own party, Dom blossomed on October 31.Will anyone who knows Dom ever think of Halloween the same?
3. Love of life. He loves the big things, like intense exercise, hanging outwith friends and family, and fighting cancer with ever last breath in hisbody. Equally important, he loves the little things in life, like watchingNFL football on Sunday, Del Taco, 40 ounces of malt liquor, and insulatedPendleton¹s.
4. Brief career as a child movie star. Not many people know that Dom starredin several amateur movies while in elementary school, including the leadrole in the action thriller Barney Banoza and the early claymation flick,Buddha Bandits. Those movies will be watched and enjoyed for a long, longtime.
5. ³Going big.² Dom often uses this term to explain his behavior when hebriefly suspends his disciplined diet and workout routine to partake inmountains of fried food, alcohol, and other debauchery. Moments of going bigare typically very shot-term and usually involve Marshall. We love to go bigwith Dom.
6. The yellow ³dress shirt.² Dom¹s sense of style will long outlive hisyears on earth. For at least 10 years, Dominic owned a pale, yellow shirtthat he wore anytime more than a simple t-shirt was required. We all lovedthat shirt and took great joy whenever Dom would give it yet another whirlout on the town.
7. Shortest collegiate basketball career in history. Without checking theofficial record book, I can confidently say that Dom was the first player tocommit to the Duke collegiate basketball team straight out of the YMCA 10year-old league, but never actually played college ball. Unfortunately forthe Blue Devils, Dom was recruited to draw at Otis College of Design and puthis athletic career on hold, indefinitely.
8. Children¹s books. Dom openly admits that he hasn¹t read an entire novelsince high school English class. Nevertheless, he wrote and illustrated twoamazing children¹s books for his niece.
9. Art. From his sketchbook, to grotesque masks and haunted houses, to hisamazing portfolio of toys at Mattel, I¹ll be the first in line to buy aticket to the Dominic Ambriz art museum.
10. Reminiscing. Dom will live forever whenever any of us sit down withfriends and family over drinks, and simply talk about the good times we¹veshared together. His spirit will survive when we take time to love life. Thebig things, like our friends and family, as well as the little things, likeSunday football and late-night Dell Taco.
Dom, you have enriched my life more than you will ever know. I love you. Larkin.
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